Palladium Books® Weekly Update – April 24, 2015

By Kevin Siembieda

This has been prepare-for-conventions week. We pulled sales stock and planned for PenguiCon (this weekend in Southfield, Michigan, where we have a booth), pulled and shipped prize support for MobiCon (10 Palladium game events, May 22-24, in Alabama), planned and prepped more for Gen Con Indy (July 30-August 2, always a lot to do for this big convention), and, of course, all kinds of things for the Palladium Open House (May 14-17, Westland, Michigan at the Palladium warehouse – it’s awesome). And when I say we have been working on conventions all week, I mean non-stop from 8:00 AM till 10:00 PM every day, with business matters and coordination of other products squeezed in between. ALL kinds of exciting stuff is going on. You will find all the details about some of it below.

Rifts® is Coming for Savage Worlds!

I accidentally created a firestorm of speculation and excitement last week when I talked about some of those behind the scenes projects under the topic of Rifts® is heating up. Particular my statement that “in an effort to truly expand Rifts® across the Megaverse®, in cooperation with Palladium Books, another role-playing game company is currently adapting the Rifts® Earth setting to that company’s RPG system of rules, as well as producing adventure sourcebooks.”

Well, this became hot news, with Bleeding Cool (a magazine I personally enjoy), breaking the news that the company is Pinnacle Entertainment Group (Deadlands RPG, Savage Worlds) and the game system will be Savage Worlds. Pinnacle followed up the Bleeding Cool announcement with this “official” press release, below. We’re delighted with the positive response to this news.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Pinnacle Entertainment Group announced today the development of Rifts for Savage Worlds, their award-winning tabletop roleplaying game system.

Pinnacle released a mock cover, using art from Palladium’s 2005 Rifts Ultimate Edition with permission. The cover artist for the book was Scott Johnson.

“We are thrilled to follow up Kevin’s post with this announcement that we do, indeed, have the license to develop Rifts for Savage Worlds,” said Savage Worlds creator Shane Hensley. “We are early in the process, but anticipate having a core rulebook for the setting released in time for Christmas.”

The Palladium Books Weekly Update—April 19, 2015, written by Kevin Siembieda, recently made mention of a new roleplaying game system for the beloved setting:

“In an effort to truly expand Rifts® across the Megaverse®, in cooperation with Palladium Books, another role-playing game company is currently adapting the Rifts® Earth setting to that company’s RPG system of rules, as well as producing adventure sourcebooks.”

Rifts is an exciting multi-genre post-apocalypse game that began publishing in 1990. Featuring elements of everything from cyberpunk and fantasy to mecha and mythology, Rifts has always been Siembieda's vision of a game with everything for everyone, tied together with a strong narrative.

"I'm really excited to see what Rifts will look like in the Savage Worlds system," said Siembieda. "The Savage fans are great folks, and I think Rifts is going to be an amazing amount of fun for them, letting them explore all the possibilities of both the system and the setting."

Savage Worlds was created by Shane Lacy Hensley. Savage Worlds and the Pinnacle logo are all trademarks of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. For more information, visit www.peginc.com or contact Jodi Black, Marketing Manager for Pinnacle, at PEGJodi@gmail.com. More about Palladium and the Rifts setting can be found on their website here: http://www.palladiumbooks.com/

Siembieda on the subject. So there you have it. This is something that I had talked about and kicked around for a number of years, and now it’s finally happening. (Years before this, Steve Jackson approached me about doing GURPS Rifts®, which I was very interested in, but somehow it never happened. I don’t know if Steve or I dropped the ball on that one. SJG is another great company I appreciate and respect.) I like Shane Hensley and I know the writer on the Rifts® Savage Worlds project fairly well, and I feel comfortable with him tackling the game series. NO, I’m not going to hint at who that may be nor leak anything else. Like you, I can hardly wait to see the final product.

And this is just one of many things that have been boiling behind the scenes. I don’t talk about them, because for one reason or another, 8 out of 10 never happen or take years to become reality. Look at the Rifts® movie optioned by Walt Disney Pictures for development of a live action movie by Jerry Bruckhiemer Films. We signed that deal waaaaaay back in 2002 and it has been stuck in development hell ever since. I pray that JB or Disney will do something amazing with Rifts® someday soon, but it may never happen. There are a zillion moving parts to get a movie made. Maybe they will, maybe they won’t. (Only 1 in 10,000 movie options ever actually get made into a film.) Exciting and frustrating at the same time. Despite the long wait and uncertainty, I very much appreciate that Jerry Bruckhiemer and company respect the property enough to not just throw together a piece of junk that is barely recognizable as Rifts®. They are waiting for the right script and want to do the property right. I respect and appreciate that immensely. All of us should. That said, I wish they would move on it or cut us free.

There have been a lot of projects like that. A flurry of excitement, intense interest and then . . . nothing. Heck, most inquiries to license or develop a property based on Palladium’s I.P.s never get as serious or as far as the JB Films deal. Like I said, we have interest in Nightbane® and Splicers® by a third party right now, but who knows where it might go. I had an independent film maker, I never spoke about, shop Nightbane® around several years ago. He was a fan and excited about the prospects, but nothing came of it despite his best efforts. I wish doing these kinds of deals was as easy as most people seem to think it is. It isn’t. We daydream about movies, TV shows, animated series and videogames based on Rifts®, Phase World®, Nightbane®, Splicers®, Dead Reign®, Heroes Unlimited and all the rest. Until then, we remain focused on creating new and exciting RPGs, sourcebooks and fun in the RPG market.

Palladium Books will be at PenguiCon (our booth will be in the hallway – not in the dealers’ room) selling Robotech® RPG Tactics™, our latest RPG book releases and other select RPG core books and popular items. Best of all, since the convention is so close to our warehouse, those of you in attendance can let us know about any specific RPG titles you may want and one of us will drive them in later that day. Talk about service. Chuck Walton will also be present selling original art and prints, too. Swing by to say hello, get some autographs and buy the latest releases.

EXPANSIVE UPDATE for the Palladium Open House – May 15-17 – Westland, Michigan – you need to read it!

I didn’t want to take up the opening half of the Weekly Update with all the news and information about the Palladium Open House, so please take a look at it elsewhere in the Update for it. We’ll also post it in the online store description over the weekend. And check out the mock-ups for some of the awards for those who place in the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Tournament. Painting winners also get prizes. See below.

NOTE: The price of admission to the Open House, May 15-17, covers ALL events – EXCEPT the Robotech® RPG Tournament ($10 per player) – and gives you access to all the guests, Kevin and crew, as well as the many RPG gaming events (first come, first served), panel talks, auction and other activities.

Open House Weekend Admission

$60 per person for the Three Day Weekend (Friday, Saturday & Sunday;May 15, 16 & 17, 2015). Same price at the door, if space is available. (Price went up after April 20, 2015).

$25 for Friday, 9:00 AM till Closing (about midnight). Same price at the door, if space is available.

$25 for Saturday, 9:00 AM till Closing (about midnight). Same price at the door, if space is available.

$12 for Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Same price at the door, if space is available.

$87 additional for “VIP Night” – Thursday, May 14, 2014; 3:00 P.M. till about midnight. A few cancellations have made a handful of VIP night tickets available on a first come, first served basis.

$10 to compete in the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ tournament (Saturday sign in 7:30-8:00 A.M., May 16, 2015). The entry fee is in addition to the price of admission if you are attending the entire POH. Seven awards for Battle Champions, Painting Champions, and overall Tournament Champion. Limited to 20 players. Win big. Sign up now! First come, first served.

MUCH MORE Open House news and details are found elsewhere in this Update.

The schedule of events for the Palladium Open House should be posted this weekend or Monday. We wanted to try to get Carmen Bellaire’s game events included and at least some of the panel talk subjects and times included.

UPDATE: The Rifter® #70 – at the Printer – ships on April 30

I approved the printer proofs of the cover and interior pages on Monday. The Chuck Walton cover looks awesome. The “official” source material and all the other stuff is great fun and super useful for players and G.M.s alike. I’d dare say The Rifter® #70 is a special issue everyone will want – 60+ magic spells, the Splicers® Technojacker, monsters, Game Master tips and house rules, Rifts® adventures underseas, a Rifts® city-state in Kansas, the conclusion to Irvin Jackson’s Rifts® short story, news and more! See the description elsewhere in this Update or in the online store.

We all want this book so bad, we can taste it. It’s coming and it’s awesome. Written by Irvin Jackson. Art by Allen and Brian Manning, Apollo Okamura and others.

UPDATE: Robotech® RPG Tactics™

We are still working on a lot of different things for RRT, but hope to have a couple of big announcements coming very soon. Those of you in the Metro-Detroit Area, come and compete in the Robotech® RPG Tactics™Tournament at the Palladium Open House, Saturday, May 16, 2015. $10 entry fee. Seven awards and prizes. Details below.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Tournament at the Palladium Open House – May 16

$10 entry fee. The $10 tournament fee gets you in the tournament. You do NOT have to buy an additional Saturday or Weekend admission if you are “only” competing in the day-long RRT tournament. You’ll be able to purchase product, but you will not be able to participate in other RPG game events unless you get a day’s admission.

Tickets Available now, in our online store. May 16, 2015. Spread the word. No refund for cancellations.

Tournament Rules are available now. Note: You do not have to bring painted convoy vehicles and objective markers – unless you want to do so. They will be provided.

20 openings. Limited to 20 competitors, plus a list of standby players in the case of last minute cancellations or “no shows.”

6 rounds of play, each lasting 1 hour and 45 minutes.

250 point armies (1 Core Squadron minimum) using only official published Core Squadron Cards and add-ons to date.

Mecha armies must be painted, but you do NOT have to bring painted convoy vehicles and objective markers – unless you want to do so – some will be provided.

20 openings. Limited to 20 competitors in the tournament, plus a list of standby competitors in the case of cancellations.

Palladium Fantasy RPG® Paper Miniatures – Volumes #1-6 are available now. More coming in a few weeks, with more to follow.

The Rifter® issues #1-62 – available now.

100+ Palladium titles available as PDF downloads.

Game Master Kits, maps and more – Available now.

Much more to come in the months ahead.

The Palladium Fantasy® Bizantium and the Northern Islands™ free preview is posted and available now. The Rifter® #61-62 and six sets of Fantasy Paper Miniatures (with 20+ figures in most sets) are available now (many recently posted with new sets coming over the next few weeks). And there is more to come. Palladium continues to provide FREE support to Robotech® RPG Tactics™ and other Palladium game lines with supplemental material. And this is just the beginning. So far, that includes some RRT game cards, the massive mecha painting/color design templates (more than 100 images in color and black and white – and an awesome resource for any Robotech fan), and some detailed assembly instructions, with MUCH more coming. We have big plans for Robotech® RPG Tactics™ and other Palladium game lines.

We’ll be adding a bunch of new material to DriveThruRPG.com over the next several months, so keep an eye on it. DriveThruRPG.com already offers 100+ Palladium Books products available as PDFs with more to be made available soon. They currently include free items, previews and book titles like the Coalition Wars®/Siege on Tolkeen™ series, Splicers® RPG, The Rifter® issues #1-62 (with more to come), and first edition rules of the Rifts® RPG, Beyond the Supernatural™ RPG, Heroes Unlimited™ RPG, The Palladium Fantasy RPG®, and related 1st edition sourcebooks for each. And more! Like what? Like Fantasy Paper Miniatures (see below) and Game Master Kits for digital download. They are available only as PDF files and were designed special to help you run your games and build campaigns. There are also sneak previews of books and other good stuff. Check it out! And let other gamers know they are available too. We’ll be making more available on DriveThruRPG in the weeks and months to come, so take a look on a regular basis.

Palladium Books® at Gen Con® Indy – July 30-August 2, 2015

It’s gonna be awesome, Gen Con Indy always is. Palladium Books has earned Premium Event status, there are 50+ gaming events, and our booth will be packed with exciting product to sell and Palladium creators to chat with and sign your books.

50+ Palladium gaming events.

Huge selection of Palladium products.

New releases and convention special items.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ products, games and demos.

Meet Palladium artists and writers.

Get autographs and the latest news.

Gen Con® specials in the Coupon Book.

Join us for the fun.

Closing thoughts

I’m certain there is more to talk about, but Wayne just got back from dropping off the RRT trophy files and needs to post the Update to get home at a decent hour for a change (i.e. before midnight). I also have a scheduled call coming up in a little while. More next week.

– Kevin Siembieda, Game Designer, Writer, Publisher

BIG Palladium Open House UPDATE – May 15-17 – Westland, Michigan

With the help of a lot of awesome people, volunteers and Megaversal Ambassadors, the 2015 POH might be our biggest one ever. We have more gaming events, more panel talks, more T-shirts and special products, more one-of-a-kind collector items and original art than ever before. And attendance is shaping up to possibly break the old record. At this point, we won’t know until the event comes to a close.

We are thrilled to be hosting a Robotech® RPG Tactics™Tournament (thanks, Jake!), and Wayne and I worked hard to make the award designs special. Get your ticket reservations in pronto. I think half are already gone.

Super-excited about so many Palladium creators being available to those who attend. There are never this many artists, writers and other Palladium creators at any convention.

The schedule of events for the Palladium Open House should be posted this weekend. We wanted to try to get Carmen Bellaire’s game events included and at least some of the panel talk subjects and times included.

NEW products to debut at Palladium Open House – May 15-17 – Westland, Michigan.

We have a lot of new, fun products making their debut at the Open House. FOUR new T-shirts (and the grey, Property of the Coalition States T-Shirt is coming back in stock), three mouse pads, two dog tags, a selection of plastic travel glasses, and art prints. PLUS 1,400+ pages of book negatives (think art prints; more on them below), and 50+ Kevin Long illustrations (pencil and ink) as well as artwork by me (Kevin Siembieda) and other artists.

NEW at POH: T-Shirts

New T-Shirt – Palladium Books Open House 2015 – featuring my classic dragon head drawing along with my signature. It wasn’t my idea, it was Jeff’s, but everyone seemed to love the idea, so I went with it; white printing on a black T-Shirt.

NEW at POH: Commemorative Dog Tags

Rifts® Coalition States Hero of Humanity, etched into a black dog tag, and comes with a 30 inch chain.

NEW at POH: Plastic Travel Glasses

15 ounce, feature various Palladium covers.

FIRST TIME EVER: 50+ pieces of original artwork by Kevin Long from TMNT, Robotech® and Sentinels RPGs and others – available at the Palladium Open House – May 15-17 – Westland, Michigan

50+ pieces of Kevin Long art. This is the most Kevin Long artwork I have ever offered at any time. All from my personal collection. Some are the finished inked pieces that saw publication, others are the original pencil drawings. Kevin Long was a very detailed and precise artist. His process was to make a quick concept sketch, then make a tight pencil drawing on layout paper. This drawing on layout paper is so finished, it could almost be printed as is. Then Kevin would put the pencil drawing on a light-board to transfer it to Bristol board and ink it, in effect creating TWO original works of art, one pencil and one inked. I’m offering many of the gorgeous pencil drawings I have, as well as a number of finished inked illustrations. Most are matted and look awesome.Includes the opening page to the original, inked Robotech® RPG (1986) illustration, some REF Field Guide and Sentinels RPG inked artwork, the pencil sketch for the cover of Ghost Ship, an unpublished sketch of the Glitter Boy, TMNT Goes Hollywood pencil art, some concept art and more.

Additional works of RPG art by me (Kevin Siembieda, rare, because I usually keep or give away my art) and some other artists, as well as some watercolor painted photocopies (colors by me) from Rifts® RPG (1990), some printer color proofs, and other odds and ends. All are pretty sweet and hold significance in the RPG world. I’m offering this selection because I have had and enjoyed them for 25-30 years – it’s time to let some other people enjoy these treasures.

NEW at POH: Rare pieces of Palladium history can be yours

– book negatives available at the Palladium Open House – May 15-17 – Westland, Michigan

Back before the digital era, the physically “pasted up” pages of a book were photographed, and a set of negatives were used to make the “plates” from which the books were printed. With a few rare exceptions, there was only ever ONE set of negatives created for each book (sometimes two, usually when changes and correction pages were made, or a second edition done). That negative was used to create the printing plates for every new print run. As a “negative,” the images of the text and line art are reversed; white on a black background.

Pages of negatives with artwork look amazing, but even the pages with only words and headlines look cool, and make an exotic and unique keepsake. For a few bucks, you can own a piece of gaming (and printing) history. These are truly, one-of-a-kind items that look pretty spectacular in a matt or frame. Negatives with text only are $2, title pages and those with a quarter or half page of artwork are $5-$15, and a full page of artwork is $15-$30. Only those from the iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles titles sometimes cost more, ranging from $2-$50; the most expensive negatives being comic strip pages and full pages of artwork by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.

To my knowledge, no one has ever offered negatives for sale like this. We came up with the idea one day in the warehouse last summer while Jeff Burke and I were flipping through a massive stack of negatives and pondering their fate. They come “ganged” on big, 30x48 inch sheets with 16 pages of negatives on the big sheet. There were sheets of white paper between each big sheet of negs and the negative images on the white backdrop looked fantastic. Like a woodcut or scratch board drawing. I made the comment to Jeff that they were like works of art and a shame to destroy. Jeff agreed, saying they looked impressive and were unique works of art – like a one-of-a-kind lithographic print. And added, “I think fans might want to buy some of these. I know I would. Have you considered giving them away in Christmas Grab Bags or selling them?”

I loved the idea. As a collector, myself, I knew this was something I would buy as a fan. As fate would have it, a couple fans came by a few days later. I showed them some pages and asked their opinion about offering them for sale. They went nuts over them and one guy bought a dozen pages all by himself, plus a half dozen TMNT pages for a friend he called on the phone. As a hint of things to come, I included a negative or two in a few dozen 2014 Christmas Surprise Packages, but we’ll be making the largest selection of negatives available for the first time at the Palladium Open House. I’m happy to sign purchased negatives in silver ink. They include negs from the following books:

TMNT® and other Strangeness

TMNT® Adventures (sourcebook)

Rifts® Sourcebook One

Rifts® Triax & The NGR

Rifts® Lone Star

Rifts® Psyscape

Rifts® Free Quebec

Rifts® Xiticix Invasion

Rifts® China One

Rifts® Dinosaur Swamp

And possibly others. It depends on how many we have time to cut loose and bag. Besides, we don’t know if there is a demand for these attractive and unique items. Just because we and some fans think they are awesome keepsakes and collectibles, doesn’t mean other people will agree. Then again, as a comic book collector, I know I would be thrilled out of my mind if I owned even just a few negatives from any issues of Spider-Man, the Avengers, Captain America or any old Marvel comic book, especially the early issues.

We do NOT have the negatives for all our books, as they have been destroyed or lost over the decades, but we do have the negs for several dozen books that were stored in the Palladium warehouse. (I’m only keeping the original Rifts® RPG negatives for myself.)

Each negative comes in a plastic bag with a white backing board and certificate of authenticity and explanation of exactly what the negative is and which book it came from. I think collectors of art and Palladium memorabilia will love this unique item. And once they are sold, they are GONE forever. I hope you get as big a thrill out of these pages as we do.

For more info and to purchase tickets to the Palladium Open House, click here.

Palladium Open House – May 15-17, 2015 – Westland, Michigan

Meet 40+ Palladium Creators – artists, writers, game designers staff, Rifter® contributors, Defilers and others for one of the largest such gatherings ever. It happens only once every few years at the Palladium Open House – May 15-17, 2015 – Westland, Michigan. (Plus May 14 for those attending VIP Thursday.) The event takes place at the Palladium warehouse and offices. And this may be the last Open House, so do not miss out. Special guests include Jolly Blackburn, creator of Knights of the Dinner Table, and Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man artist and long-time Palladium fan favorite artist, Ramon K. Perez.

List of Palladium Creators, Artists, Writers & Personalities:

Amy L. Ashbaugh (Artist)

Brandon Aten (Writer; Triax 2, Madhaven, The Sovietski, The Rifter®)

Matthew Balent (Author of Weapons & Armor, Weapons & Castles, Monsters and Animals, and other titles; he was present at the start of Palladium Books!)

Thomas Bartold (Defiler, writer; Island at the Edge of the World)

Carmen Bellaire (Writer; Powers Unlimited 1-3, Splicers®)

Joseph Bergmans (Honorary Staff Member, Helper and Consultant)

Jolly Blackburn (Creator of Knights of the Dinner Table)

James Brown (Game Master Supreme, Megaversal Ambassador)

Jeffrey Burke (Staff Robotech® Consultant & Artist)

Kent Burles * (Artist)

Braden Campbell * (Writer; Fleets, Thundercloud Galaxy, The Rifter®)

Matthew Clements (Writer: Northern Gun 1 & 2, and much more)

Steven Dawes (Writer; Dark Places, The Rifter®)

Greg Diaczyk (Writer; Rifts® Lemuria and The Rifter®)

Mark Dudley (Artist and Game Master)

Scott Gibbons (Game Designer – play testing Rifts® board game)

Carl Gleba *(Writer: Megaverse® in Flames, Minion War series, and many others, and awesome G.M.)

Chris Guertin (Honorary Staff Member/Helper)

Jeffry Scott Hansen * (Writer & Author; Warpath)

Irvin Jackson * (Writer & Artist)

Doug Lamberson (Honorary Staff Member/Helper)

Lonnie Langston * (G.M. and Megaversal Ambassador)

“Madman” Mike Leonard (Artist and Writer)

Allen Manning (Artist)

Brian Manning (Artist)

Alex Marciniszyn (Staff Editor and Research)

Mike Mumah (Artist)

Mark Oberle (Writer; Nightbane® Survival Guide, Rifter®)

Apollo Okamura (Artist)

Taylor Oltman * (Artist)

Ramon K. Perez (Artist for games and Spider-Man)

Victor Peterson (Megaversal Ambassador & Game Master)

Ben Rodriguez (Artist)

Julius Rosenstein (Staff, Writer, Editor & Game Master)

Jeff “NMI” Ruiz (Palladium’s Online Administrator & MA)

Kevin Siembieda (Staff, Founder, Writer, Artist & Game Master)

Kathy Simmons (Staff, Order Processing and Customer Services)

Josh Sinsapaugh (Writer, Rifter® Contributor)

Wayne Smith (Staff, Editor, and Editor-in-Chief of The Rifter®)

Charles Walton (Artist and Concept Guy)

Taylor White (Writer and Musician)

And more.

Note: Only those with an asterisk remain tentative, but circumstances change, so there is no guarantee everyone on the list will make it to the POH. Price of admission covers ALL events, EXCEPT the Robotech® tournament.

Play in games run by the very people who make them, in the building where the magic happens. Get the latest news and happenings. Get the behind the scenes lowdown on events. Ask any question. Have a blast.

Most Palladium products are in stock and available for purchase, from prints and T-shirts to books and coffee mugs. And we always have a selection of new T-shirts and speciality items available for the first time ever at the Palladium Open House. This year, there is also a wide range of original art, prints and rare, signed and out of print book titles being made available. Some of the rarest and most unique items to be offered up in the live auction. IN ADDITION, many of the artists and writers bring original art, prints and specialty items for sale from them individually. It all adds up to an incredible experience.

Game with us at the Palladium warehouse.

100+ Palladium gaming events.

Play in games run by Kevin Siembieda & other Palladium creators.

Play-test a prototype Rifts® board game run by the game designer.

Enjoy Robotech® RPG Tactics™ tournament, games, products and demos.

Compete in the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ painting competition.

Participate in panel talks and many question and answer chats.

Meet 40+ Palladium creators, all available to chat & sign books.

Bring your favorite game books to get signed.

Meet Kevin Siembieda and the Palladium staff.

Meet Carmen Bellaire and many other Palladium creators.

Meet Jolly Blackburn, creator of Knights of the Dinner Table.

Meet Ramon K. Perez, Marvel Comics artist – Spider-Man: Learning to Crawl and artist of many Palladium World Books and other comics.

Special Event: Robotech® RPG Tactics™ “Painting Contest” – bring your best painted mini and see if you win.

Special Event: Robotech® RPG Tactics™ games galore. Some run by Carmen Bellaire, the co-author of the RRT rules.

Special Event (Saturday): Live Auction – rare collectibles and original art including some Kevin Long Robotech® II: The Sentinels artwork, animation cels, and rare Kevin Siembieda artwork.

Open gaming at the main site and designated hotel.

Game with the very people who make your favorite games and sourcebooks like Kevin Siembieda, Julius Rosenstein, Brandon Aten, Carmen Bellaire, Matthew Clements, Greg Diaczyk, Chuck Walton, the Mannings, and others.

No fees for the individual games or panel talks. ALL events are covered under the price of admission, except for the RRT tournament.

Meet 40+ Palladium creators – the largest gathering of Palladium creators in the world! Most available every day, the entire day.

Chat with Palladium artists and writers from across the country.

Get autographs from all the Palladium creators.

Live panel talks and interviews.

Live auction (Saturday evening) with rare, out of print books, original artwork, proofreader copies of manuscripts, collectibles, books from the Erick Wujcik collection, and more.

Get new releases, back stock items and Palladium collectibles.

Get original artwork and limited edition prints.

See (and play games in) the Palladium warehouse.

Intimate setting. Easy access to Palladium creators.

Held at the Palladium warehouse and offices.

Meet fans from across the USA and around the world – Canada, England, Germany, Spain, Uruguay, etc.

A rare event, the POH is sort of like the Olympics in that we only host one every 2-4 years (the last one was held in 2012), making it all the more special. For a number of reasons, it is looking more and more like this may well be the last Palladium Open House, so if you can make it, come on over for our last grand party.

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Admission Tickets

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$60 per person for the Three Day Weekend (Friday, Saturday & Sunday) when ordered in advance per each individual. Same price at the door, if space is available.

$25 for Friday, 9:00 AM till Closing (about midnight). Same price at the door, if space is available.

$25 for Saturday, 9:00 AM till Closing (about midnight). Same price at the door, if space is available.

$12 for Sunday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Same price at the door, if space is available.

$87 additional for “VIP Night” – Thursday, May 14, 2014; 3:00 P.M. till about Midnight. A few “cancellations” have made a handful of VIP night tickets available on a first come, first-served basis. VIP Night is a special, one-evening event limited to around 100 gamers. You get the delicious dinner catered by Palladium’s very own Kathy Simmons (people rave about her food), plus you get an extra afternoon and evening of gaming, a more intimate chance to talk with Palladium staff, artists and writers, and first crack at rare collectibles, prints and original art.

The price of admission covers ALL events EXCEPT the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Tournament. The price of admission gives you access to all the guests, Kevin and crew, as well as the many RPG gaming events (first come, first served), panel talks, auction and other activities. There is an additional $10 fee to play in the Robotech® RPG Tactics™ tournament. Limited to 20 players (see details earlier in the Update).

Please consider this a personal invitation from me,Kevin Siembieda, to come and spend a weekend with the Palladium staff, our wonderful fellow creators, friends and fans from around the globe. At the POH you can ask any questions, enjoy long chats, get autographs from 40+ Palladium Creators, enjoy plenty of laughs, game like crazy and come away with memories that you’ll never forget.

NEW! The Rifter® #70 – Ships end of April

With all the “official” source material you’ll want to place your orders now! This issue is epic, with a wide array of source material by several contributors, half of it “official” as well as some by Kevin Siembieda.

Every issue of The Rifter® is an idea factory for players and Game Masters to generate new ideas and find new avenues of adventure. It provides useful, ready to go source material you can just drop into your ongoing games. A doorway to new possibilities and numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. And the many new characters, O.C.C.s, powers, magic, weapons, villains, monsters, adventures and ideas for one setting can be easily adapted to any Palladium setting. Every issue has material for Rifts® and at least 2-3 other Palladium game lines. With 2015 being the 25th Anniversary of Rifts®, every issue of The Rifter® will feature a Rifts® inspired cover and contain at least one Rifts® article.

The Rifter® #70, Spring issue will present a nice variety of new source material for Rifts® and other Palladium RPG settings. Celebrating the Rifts® 25th Anniversary, there will be an emphasis on Rifts® material and each cover will be Rifts® related.

NEW! Imaginos Plus™ #1 Comic Book – available now

A 32 page, color comic book created by long-time Palladium artist and friend, Mark Dudley. Imaginos Plus™ features four, 6-8 page “teasers” for different comic book titles created by Mark Dudley and the Imaginos crew. One of them is a Rifts® story. To Rifts® fans and collectors, this item is well worth the cover price.

Rifts®: The Adventures of Young Erin Tarn™ – The title says it all. Art by Noah Page and Benjamin Rodriguez (Palladium artist). Story by Jeff Lilly. Get in on the ground floor of what could develop into a regular comic book series. If that happens, Imaginos Plus™ #1 will become a rare collector’s item. Fewer than 1,000 printed.

NEW! A+Plus™ #5 Comic Book (1978) – Available now

A+Plus Number Five was the last issue of a 64 page, black and white, independent comic book created and published by Kevin Siembieda and Alex Marciniszyn. The first few issues came out while these two best friends were still in college. It sells on the comic book collector’s market for $10-$20. Had Siembieda continued on the comic book trail, there might never have been a Palladium Books.

The Harlequin™ – A 20 page story about a tormented soul who has taken refuge in a circus, but has secretly become a reluctant hero searching for answers about his own origin and purpose. You see, the Harlequin was bio-engineered to be a living weapon. How, why and by whom remains a mystery. Art and story by Kevin Siembieda.(Note: Nick Bradshaw has been trying to convince Kevin to reprint the two Harlequin stories in The Rifter® or as an adventure sourcebook for Heroes Unlimited™, with all new, expanded game background, heroes, villains and adventure hooks. Kevin is considering it.)

Arc™ – A strange, 8 page, science fiction story with human and animal characters. Art and story by James Dombrowski. Jim would go on to contribute illustrations to a couple of After the Bomb® sourcebooks and make a career in the newspaper industry.

Down to the Last Man™ – The Last Man™ – science fiction fantasy – was one of A+Plus’ most popular features, and one of the few ongoing series. Art by Brian Siembieda (pencils) and Kevin Siembieda (inks). Story by Brian Siembieda. Yes, Brian is Kevin’s talented younger brother. It started out all humor and took a darker turn as the story progressed. Brian’s inspiration came from the works of Ralph Bakshi, Will Eisner and Vaughn Bode. This 11 page story is one of Kevin’s personal favorites.

And now a word from the Overseer – A weird 8 page science fantasy story that ties into being a comic book artist. Art and story by James A. Osten. Jim would work for Palladium Books as an editor for many years.

The Bunny of Death™ in the Hare, the Worm and the Desert – A 5 page tale of a truly deadly, sword-wielding, beer drinking rabbit. Art and story by William Messner-Loebs. Bill would go on to create a popular independent comic featuring Wolverine McAllister, before moving on to write The Flash for several years at DC Comics.

A couple of short strips, an article about J.R.R. Tolkien’s the Silmarillion and a couple ads round out this final issue.

Glossy cover by Michael Kucharski. Mike contributed art to several of the early Palladium Fantasy titles and a couple of the Weapon Books, most notably, Weapons and Assassins™.

Newsprint interiors.

24 copies are being made for sale on a first come, first served basis. 5,000 copies of this comic were originally printed. Only around 40 copies remain in Kevin Siembieda’s possession.

The book you are buying is the actual comic book printed in 1978 and shows signs of yellowing and age. However, all are in at least good to very good condition. Remember, this comic is 37 years old!

NEW! Robotech® Dice Bag – Available now

People have enjoyed the Rifts® dice bag for years, so we thought we’d do one for Robotech®. The Robotech® Dice Bag debuted at AdeptiCon and went over very well. Now it is available in the Palladium store for everyone. This is just one tiny thing we’ve been working on behind the scenes for Robotech®. More to come.

NEW! Palladium Fantasy RPG® Sourcebook: Bizantium and the Northern Islands™ – Available now

To the civilized world, Bizantium and the waters and lands around it are frightening. A realm of sea serpents, monsters, and barbarians. To the heroes and people who live there, it is a realm of adventure, beauty and opportunity.

One might consider Bizantium as the center of adventure and mystery in the North. Many are the myths of ancient gods, lost treasures and strange creatures. On the mainland, there are the Wolfen and their canine kin, the Kiridin barbarians, the turbulent Shadow Coast colonies, and all manner of monsters and secrets in the Northern Hinterlands and Great Northern Mountains. Living near the edge of the Sea of Despair and in the shadow of the Land of the Damned, sea monsters and danger are but a short voyage away and make all too frequent visits to the Bizantium islands.

North of Bizantium are the Icy Ocean and Great Ice Shelf, places where only a handful of the bravest Bizantian sailors have ever set sail, and the rest of the world knows nothing about. For kingdoms in the south, only a few scholars have ever heard of the Great Ice Shelf or the cannibalistic Necromancers known as the Iceborn who make the frozen wasteland their home. Those who have heard tales of the land of ice and death are convinced they are nothing but the stuff of myth. Very soon, they will find out otherwise.

And these are but a few of the revelations presented in Bizantium and the Northern Islands™. Discover for yourself the wonders and horrors that await.

Waterchanter O.C.C. and 20+ magic spells new to the Fantasy setting.

Necromancy revisited. Many spells new to the Fantasy setting.

90+ spells in all, including Ocean Magic for the Waterchanter, Necromancy and more.

Serpent Chaser, Bizantium Marine and other new character classes.

The Iceborn, their man-eating Raiders, Skinbinders and Sea Witches. A forgotten race of monsters who worship death, wield death magic, hunt humanoids, eat their flesh, and wear their skin. A villain you will love to hate.

The Iceborn’s Necroilus – massive vessels made from the remains of dead sea serpents and animated by Necromancy to prowl the seas.

NEW Palladium Fantasy RPG® “Paper Miniatures” – on DriveThruRPG.com

Three new Volumes are already waiting for you, another is coming this weekend and more soon after that. Palladium Fantasy RPG® “Paper Miniatures” are a quick, fun “online only” product for gamers who want inexpensive game pieces for their Palladium Fantasy® game – only $5.99 for 20+ figures in each set. All are colorful, dynamic and attractive figures available via PDF download that you print on a card stock, cut out and slide into a paper stand (all part of the pack you purchase). A FREE Sample and the first SIX sets of Palladium Fantasy RPG® Paper Miniatures are available NOW on DriveThruRPG.com, and many more are coming. Including a set or two for Bizantium and the Northern Islands.

Much support will follow, provided there is a demand for this PDF product line.

Back in print – Rifts® World Book 21: Splynn Dimensional Market™

This awesome sourcebook is, in effect, Rifts® Atlantis Part Two. It is said that anything you may desire – especially if it is dark, magical or alien – can be purchased, for a price, at the Splynn Dimensional Market. Anything. ‘Nuff said.

Rise of Magic™ – Rifts® Chaos Earth® Sourcebook – Now shipping

We’ve all played “post” apocalyptic games. Now imagine playing as the apocalypse is happening. As the world you know is crumbling. As magic and monsters from myth become real and your world is reshaped by forces beyond your comprehension. That is the premise behind the Rifts® Chaos Earth® series. That YOU play through the Great Cataclysm as the apocalypse happens.

Rifts® Chaos Earth®: Rise of Magic™ is a key book in that continuing story (new books are coming this Spring and Summer). In Rise of Magic™, humans, particularly children, are discovering they can draw upon mystic energy and cast magic. The thing is, they don’t really know what they are doing. Magic is just part of the chaos and the impossible that is happening all around them. Meanwhile, others have found they can summon and control monsters and demons, while still others make pacts with supernatural beings to become witches and worse. And some have learned they can harness the magic to animate and command the dead. Madness and more chaos ensues. All of this only complicates things for NEMA, Earth’s defenders, as the line of distinction between “good guys” and “bad guys” begins to blur, and things go from bad to worse.

Rifts® Chaos Earth® RPG – Available now

The origins of Rifts® start here! It is a new beginning. But first everything that human civilization had become during the Golden Age of Science, more than eighty years in our future, must come to a crashing end. The Earth is in the process of being transformed into a place more alien than a thousand alien worlds. Ley lines erupt with even more power and ambient energy than what is known on Rifts Earth 300 years later. Rifts – tears in space and time – appear along ley lines to unleash legions of aliens, monsters, dragons, supernatural horrors, and ancient gods of myth and legend in a mad symphony of chaos and transformation.

You play survivors or the heroes of NEMA. The men and women of the Northern Eagle Military Alliance equipped with their Chromium Guardsmen (Glitter Boys), Silver Eagles (SAMAS) and host of other robots and power armor to stand against a rising tide of enemies and alien invaders. They are humanity’s last and only hope to survive the apocalypse that will become known as the Great Cataclysm. These are the heroes you play in a world that can only be described as Chaos Earth.

Overview of the Great Cataclysm as it unfolds.

Introduction to NEMA and its weapons and resources.

11 different character classes, including robot pilots, the Para-Arcane, Demon and Witch Hunters, Chromium Guardsmen, Silver Eagles, and more.

Rifts® Chaos Earth® Sourcebook: Resurrection – Coming

In the shattered depths of Wisconsin, survivors are besieged by the dead come back to life. Zombies. But not just any type of zombie, zombies done Rifts-style. And unless the source of the zombie plague can be found and neutralized by NEMA defenders, North America may be overrun by the dead.

This was actually something Taylor White and I have been kicking around for years, even before we released the Dead Reign® RPG line. We think you’ll love it.

Something has animated the dead in Wisconsin. It is up to NEMA heroes to find the cause and stop it before it spreads beyond control.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™

– Available now in the USA, Canada, European Union, Australia and New Zealand

If you love Robotech®, you’ll want to take a look at this game. Beautifully detailed game pieces of your favorite Robotech® mecha, and fast playing rules that capture the Robotech® experience in a new, exciting way. And this is just the beginning. We have so much more planned. Available NOW – in game stores across the USA and Canada. Available in stores in the UK, European Union, Australia and New Zealand soon.

● Robotech® RPG Tactics™ "Starter Box" – Cat. No. 55100 – $99.95 retail price. This is the game Robotech® fans have wanted for decades. Robotech® RPG Tactics™ is a fast-paced, tabletop combat game that captures the action and adventure of the Robotech® anime. Two or more players can engage in small squad skirmishes or scale up to massive battles. Relive the clashes of the First Robotech War, engage in stand-alone tactical games, or use the dynamic game pieces to enhance your Robotech® RPG experience. Or simply collect your favorite mecha from an expanding range of top-notch game pieces.

The First Six Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Expansion Packs are available to retail along with the main box game. Here are the SKUs and retail prices.

Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Rulebook – Cat. No. 55105 – $20.00 retail. Note: This is the same rulebook that is included in the main game box, and is offered separately for those who want an extra copy, or want to check out the rules before buying the whole game.

Battle Foam Robotech® RPG Tactics™ bag/carrying case – Cat. No. 55107 – $120.00 retail (limited supply). Note: We only have about 30 Robotech® RPG Tactics™ Battle Foam bags available. Once they are sold out it will be months before we manufacture more, if ever.

Robotech®: Expeditionary Force Marines Sourcebook One – Coming

Robotech®: Expeditionary Force Marines sourcebook is set in space with the UEEF (United Earth Expeditionary Force) led by Admiral Rick Hunter. This valiant force of mecha-clad heroes travel across the galaxy liberating planets from the bondage of the Invid Regent, the Robotech Masters and other tyrants and monsters.

Rifts® Sourcebook – The Coalition States: Heroes of Humanity™

The events unfolding in World Book 35: Megaverse® in Flames threaten to change the entire landscape of Rifts® Earth as the demonic minions of Hades and Dyval seek to bring Hell on Earth, and turn the planet into a dimensional gateway to Armageddon!

The Coalition States, along with Northern Gun and Lazlo, take the lead in the defense of North America. Heroes of Humanity explores the good and bad in the Coalition’s efforts to save humanity and send this new threat back to the pits of Hell.

New Coalition weapons, armor and war machines.

The Coalition States: Are they heroes or villains? Or does it depend on whether you are human or not?

Can the CS fight alongside mages and D-Bees if it means saving the world?

Rifts® Secrets of the Coalition States: The Disavowed™

“Desperate times require desperate measures. War has nothing to do with morality or justice. It’s all about winning or dying. We cannot bind our hands with high ideals, even our own, or worry about the laws of renegade nations or the rights of alien people. We must fight fire with fire. And you are the match.” – Colonel Lyboc addressing a Disavowed team

The Disavowed are so Top Secret that their existence is known only to a handful of the Coalition States’ most elite, top echelon, with Joseph Prosek II the mastermind behind the Disavowed operation, and Colonel Lyboc its shadowy face. Find out who these men and women are. How the Disavowed get away with using magic, traveling to other parts of Rifts Earth and even to other dimensions in pursuit of enemies and strategic information that cannot be had through conventional means. Learn about the secret parameters in which these hard-boiled warriors, secretly hand-picked by Joseph Prosek II, operate, why almost every mission is considered a suicide mission, and why they must forever be the Disavowed.

CS operatives so secret that even the top military and political leaders right up to Emperor Prosek know nothing about them. And if they did know, would they condone their activity or condemn it?

Are the Disavowed heroes or renegades? Assassins or soldiers? Madmen or super-patriots? Or a little of them all?

Unsung heroes who keep the CS safe, or thugs and pawns of a shadow agency within the Coalition government?

What role does the Vanguard play in this group?

How do they reward their D-Bee “teammates” when the mission is over?

What happens to the Disavowed when they have seen or learned too much? Adventure ideas galore and so much more.

Rifts® Secrets of the Atlanteans

True Atlanteans are descendants from Earth’s past. The survivors of the sinking of Atlantis (really a dimensional mishap) and travelers of the Megaverse, wielders of Tattoo Magic and other lost mystic arts. Most people regard them as heroes, but are they? The Sunaj Assassins are mythic villains feared by all, yet they too are True Atlanteans who serve dark forces.

For the first time, much of the story behind True Atlanteans and their secrets are revealed.

True Atlanteans revisited.

Optional Atlantean character creation tables including clan heritage and other factors.

Secrets of the stone pyramids, different types/purposes and powers.

Many new magic tattoos, magic spells, weapons and armor.

Atlantean hideouts and secret communities across the Megaverse.

The Sunaj Assassins, their secrets, history and plans for the future.

Atlantean Monster Hunter O.C.C., Atlantean Defender O.C.C. and much more. And this is just the tip of what this book contains.

PDF downloads from DriveThruRPG.com

This is a great resource for getting out of print Palladium titles and other select books. We’ve made 100 titles available as PDF digital downloads from DriveThruRPG.com, as well as Fantasy Paper Miniatures, Game Master resources and other good things with more to come. This is a great way to try Palladium products and get access to out of print RPG source material. Some notable titles include:

POH Game Masters and Gaming Events Welcome – May 14-17, 2015

Game Masters can be ADDED right up to the event and even during the event, though games advertised in advance are likely to get the best attendance so contact us as soon as possible and we’ll add you to the schedule. It is NEVER too late to sign up to run gaming events at the Palladium Open House. The more Game Masters and games the better. We can use more Game Masters to run game events on Thursday and Friday for ALL of our game lines.

Get Free Stuff and Discounts if you run games. POH Game Masters Run three or more games and get a FREE special G.M. T-shirt unveiled for the first time at the POH and a 30% Game Master Supreme discount on Palladium’s RPG books, T-shirts and most other items (sorry, excludes original art, limited editions, art prints, auction items and Robotech® RPG Tactics products). We need plenty of games to satisfy 300 gamers, so . . . HELP! Your help is appreciated and welcomed. Contact us by telephone (734-721-2903) or by email at palladium-gm@palladiumbooks.com. Please contact us as SOON as possible. We want to post updates to the schedule well in advance.

NOTE: If you commit to running games at the POH you must be serious and MUST be available to run your games. Do not disappoint gamers from around the globe by being unprepared or absent. You also have to purchase your own admission ticket.